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THE  DUTIES  NOW  ESPECIALLY  CALLED  FOR,  TO  PRESEHYE 
THE  FAITH  OF  THE  CKCRCH, 


A  CHARGE 

TO  THE 

CLERGY  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA, 

DELIVERED  IN  CHRIST  CHURCH,  KEWBERN, 

OS-  THH 

Fifth  Sunday  after  Easteri 

MAY  8TH,  1836. 


BY  LEVI  SII.I.™aN  ITES,  I>.  D» 

BISHOP  Of  THB  SIOCESB.' 


PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST  0¥  THB  CONTENTIOlf. 


Ralcigb': 

PRINTED   BY  J.  GALES  &  SOIf.^ 


1S36. 


TAKE  HEBD  UNTO  THE  DOOTUINE. 


A  €IIARO£ 


My  Brethren  op  the  Clergy  ; 

Impressed  by  the  solemn  engagement,  so 
solemnly  entered  into  at  my  consecration,  that  I  would  be 
readjf  with  all  faithful  diligence,  not  only  to  banish  and 
drive  away  from  the  Church,  all  erroneous  and  strange 
doctrine,  contrary  to  God^s  word,  but  also,  both  private- 
ly AND  OPENLY,  TO  CALL  UPON  AND  ENCOURAGE  OTHERS 

to  the  same;^  I  have  felt  it  my  duty,  on  this  occasion, 
to  invite  your  attention  to  what,  in  regard  to  the  Faith  of 
the  Church,  seems  to  me  especially  called  for^  by  the  pre* 
sent  state  of  Religion  in  our  country. 

Never,  I  am  convinced,  has  there  been  a  period  since 
the  establishment  of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom,  bearing 
more  critically  upon  its  interests,  than  the  one,  in  which 
we  have  been  summoned  to  our  post,  as  watchmen  on  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem, •\  This  period,  indeed,  appears  to 
be  marked  by  a  ^xculiarity  that  gives  it  a  fearful  dis- 
tinction. There  have  been  other  periods  perhaps  as  dark 
and  trying.  The  awful  reign  of  An ti- Christ,  immediate- 
ly preceding  the  Reformation — the  desperate  alliance  of 
the  17th  century,  between  infidelity,  dissent  and  Roman- 
ism in  the  mother  country,  formed  a  crisis  of  evils,  it  is 
true,  of  the  most  alarming  description.  But  these  evils 
brought  with  them  their  remedy.  Their  odious  and  un- 
blushing character  aroused  at  once  into  action  every  faith- 
ful son  of  the  Church,  and  secured  an  united  effort— au 


•  See  the  Torm  of  Goneeerating  a  Bishop. 


f  Ewkitl  ixxiiu  T» 


4 


effort  directed  by  more  than  human  skill — for  her  rescue 
and  defence.  But  now,  the  same  evils^  under  a  different 
guise,  are  coming  upon  her,  and  her  sons  are  comparative- 
ly asleep;  few  seem  willing  to  contemplate  or  acknowl- 
edge her  danger.  Religious  excitements,  followed,  on 
the  one  hand,  by  a  rapid  increase  of  infidelity,  and  on  the 
other,  by  the  tumults  of  schism,  or  the  disasters  of  bold  ex- 
periment, darken  tlie  fair  face  and  weaken  the  hands  of 
Protestantism ;  while  Popery,  taking  advantage  of  this 
state  of  miserable  disorder,  is  again  rallying  her  scattered 
forces,  and  making  incredible  advances  to  an  ascendancy 
in  our  land  of  freedom.  Still,  through  the  stupidity  of 
some,  and  the  perverseness  of  others,  the  real  character 
of  the  danger  is  kept  comparatively  out  of  view  ;  while 
the  public  mind  is  entertained  and  lulled,  by  magnified 
representations  of  Christian  effort  and  success. 

It  is  true,  as  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  we  have  great  reason  devoutly  to  thank  God  for 
comparative  exemption  from  the  evils  so  immediately  and 
disastrously  affecting  the  religious  denominations  around 
us.  And  far  be  it  from  your  Bishop  to  excite  unnecessary 
alarm  for  our  future  safety.  He  feels  a  thankful  confi- 
dence in  the  promised  protection  of  our  Divine  and  Al- 
mighty Head :  Lo,  /  am  icitli  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end. 
of  the  ivorld,^  Still,  as  the  Redeemer  is  Avith  the  Church 
in  the  jierson  of  his  ministers,  as  well  as  by  the  agency 
of  the  Divine  Spirit,  and  defends  and  advances  her  through 
their  instrumentality,  it  behooves  them  to  watch  narrowly 
every  change  through  which  the  public  mind  is  passings 
that  they  may  be  rmcly  ivith  all  faithful  diligence^  to  ban- 
ish and  drive  aivay  from  the  Churchy  all  erroneous  and 


•  St.  Matthev,  xxv'm.  t-X 


5 


strange  doctrine,  contrary  to  God^s  word.^  And  as  the 
present  is  a  period  agitated  in  no  common  degree,  by  ^new 
measures/  and  newly  awakened  influences;  an  urgent  call 
is  made  upon  us,  to  stand  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  far 
the  old  paths,\  that  w^e  may  preserve  inviolate  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus— 'the  Faith  of  the  Cliurcli. 

.To  show  the  urgency  of  our  duty,  in  thus  contending 
for  the  Faith,  it  will  be  my  first  object  to  state  briefly 
some  of  the  evils  by  w  hich  it  is  manifestly  endangered. 

I.  In  ihit  first  place,  there  exists  a  growing  disposi- 
tion to  undervalue  ^ospeZ  truth,  as  the  divinely  appointed 
instrument  of  renewal  and  sanctitication.  That  spiritual 
appetite,  engendered  in  the  heated  atmosphere  of  modern 
excitement,  is  not  likely  to  be  satisfied  with  the  slow  and 
silent  effects  of  truth ;  not  likely  to  endure  the  sober  ex- 
position, and  grave  enforcement  of  God's  w^ord,  so  long  as 
it  can  be  fed  and  stimulated,  by  the  startling  novelties  of 
human  device.  Hence  the  very  small  amount  of  that 
w^ord,  w  hich  finds  its  way  into  those  exciting  and  pro- 
tracted meetings  now  so  generally  and  eagerly  resorted 
to  for  the  conversion  of  men ;  and  hence  the  miserable 
departure,  in  dignity,  ^simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,'  from 
the  apostolick  model,  Avhich  characterizes  so  large  a  share 
of  the  preaching  of  our  own  time ;  and  hence  too  tliat  re- 
luctant attendance  upon  the  Services  of  the  Church,  an 
important  part  of  which  consists  in  the  reading  of  Holy 
Scripture,  whenever  nothing  more  exciting  is  looked  for.  J 
In  fact  tlie  word  of  God,  as  the  sivord  of  the  spirit,^  the 
chief  instrument  of  subduing  the  rebellious  heart,  has  long 
since  been  made  to  yield,  by  the  consent  of  a  large  class  of 


*  The  form  and  manner  of  ortleving  Priests,  j  Jeremiali,  vi.  16.  ^  Ephcsians,  vi.  17. 
i  Compare  our  congregations,  when  a  Sermon  is  expected,  with  tiiose  that  assembla 
at  pravera. 


6 


well  meaning,  but  untliiuking  men,  to  a  system  of  human- 
ly devised  means,  better  fitted  to  awaken  the  passions; 
and  play  upon  the  fears. 

II.  Again.  The  present  habits  of  Christians  incline 
them  to  give  an  exaggerated  importance  to  certain  truths, 
to  the  disparagement  of  others  equally  essential.  The 
main  thing  sought,  is  excited  feeling.  Let  the  animal 
fervours  be  kindled,  tlie  sensibilities  be  made  to  glow, 
and  the  great  end  of  Religion  is  supposed  to  be  attained. 
A  religious  impression  having  been  made,  religious  in- 
struction is  accounted  comparatively  useless.  Warm  af- 
fections are  deemed  a  sufficient  antidote,  against  empty 
thoughts,  and  ill-regulated  desires.  The  inference  is  per- 
fectly plain.  That  portion  of  Gospel  truth  will  fall  into 
neglect,  which  does  not  appeal  directly  to  the  heart.  The 
convictions  and  tears  of  repentance  will  be  insisted  on; 
while  its  restitution  and  amendment  will  be  matters  of 
small  concern.  The  love  and  the  joy  of  Faith  will  receive 
a  magnitude,  in  comparison  with  which,  the  submission  it 
exacts  to  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  God^^ 
will  dwindle  to  a  point.  Here  is  the  cause  why  one  part 
of  Gospel  teaching  receives,  in  our  day,  the  title  of  essen- 
tials, and  another  of  non-essentials  ;  and  wliat  God  hath 
joined  together p  is  thus  impiously  put  asunder.-f 

III.  A  further  tendency  of  the  over-excitements  of 
the  day,  is,  so  to  exalt  the  ^ right  of  private  judgment,^ 
in  matters  of  Religion,  as  to  loosen  the  mind  from  all 
fixed  principles  of  interpretation ;  to  inflate  it  with  false 
and  arrogant  notions  of  its  own  power,  and  satisfy  it 
wdth  the  crudities  of  dogmatical  ignorance,  and  the  in- 
novations of  self-appointed  teaching,  to  the  utter  dis- 


•  Luke,  i.  6. 


I  Mstthew,  xix.  5. 


7 


regard  of  the  wisdom  of  primitive  antiquity^  tlie  testi- 
mony of  the  Universal  Churchy  and  the  rights  of  the  di- 
vinely commissioned  dispensers  of  the  truth  of  God.  Ef- 
fect has  become  indeed  the  test  of  doctrine.  If  a  man 
be  in  possession  of  the  art  of  making  an  impression^  of 
saying  something  new^  however  extravagant  or  absurd, 
something  to  sway  the  feelings,  and  enlist  the  sympathies 
of  his  hearers,  his  popularity  is  certain.*  Thus  the  flip- 
pancy of  youth,  and  the  presumption  of  ignorance,  are  often 
cheered  and  caressed,  while  the  gravity  of  experience,  and 
the  modesty  of  high  attainment,  look  in  vain  for  support. 
If  a  book  be  dressed  up  in  a  style  of  eccentricity  and  ro- 
mance, calculated  to  touch  the  sensibilities,  and  leave  a 
pleasing  excitement  in  the  mind,  little  anxiety  is  felt  on 
the  score  of  its  agreement  with  the  Faith  once  delivered  to 
the  Saints. -f  Hence  the  alarming  fact,  of  such  numbers 
of  erroneous  and  hurtful  volumes  having  found  a  place  in  our 
Family,  Parochial,  and  Sunday  School  Libraries,  to  poison 
the  minds  of  the  young  and  unwary,  and  to  bewilder  and 
mislead  them  from  the  path  of  life. 

IV.  Another  feature  in  the  temper  of  the  day,  is  a 
reckless  impatience  in  the  investigation  of  Truth.  Time 
and  labour  are  no  longer  tliought  of,  as  essential  in  ar- 
riving at  correct  religious  views.  The  old  methods  of 
thorough  catechetical  training  iji  the  nurture  and  admoni- 
Hon  of  the  Lord,X  although  not  condemned  to  entire  disuse, 
are  so  little  encouraged — made  to  occupy  so  subordinate 
a  place,  as  to  be  deprived  of  their  legitimate  effect.  The 
same  is  true  in  regard  to  our  most  instructive  and  judi- 

*  The  following  prediction  of  St.  Taul  is  clearly  fulfilled  in  our  day— "  The  time 
will  come,  when  men  will  not  endure  sound  doctrin*  ;  but  having  itching  eaii.,  thej- 
ehall  heap  to  themselves  teacher*  after  their  own  lusta." 

f  Jude,  3,  i  Ephesians,  vi,  4, 


8 


cious  tracts;  those  written  at  a  timC;  when  the  defence 
and  inculcation  of  Truths  and  not  the  gratification  of  the 
jpas8ions,vifxs  the  object  to  be  attained  :  when  it  was  thought 
that  a  plain  and  honest  statement  of  Gospel  doctrine  and  du- 
tV;  enforced  by  the  authority  of  God;  would  do  more^  wdth 
honest  and  good  hearts^  tlian  all  the  tales  of  pious  fiction, 
or  the  sketches  of  wonderful  experience.  But  the 
times  are  sadly  altered.  No  longer  can  men  endure  the 
restraints  of  system^  or  the  drudgery  of  thinking ;  no  longer 
be  persuaded;  '  to  ivovTc  out  their  Salvation^  with  fear  and 
trembling  '^^  An  idle  fancy,  and  an  impatient  thirst  for  sud- 
den and  extraordinary  impulses,  spurn  whatever  requires 
the  deliberate,  the  diligent,  and  continued  application  of 
the  understanding;  and  dispose  the  sinner  to  sieze  with 
avidity  upon  those  ^new  measures,'  which  promise  a 
knowledge  of  eternal  life,  without  searching^-,  for  it,  and 
the  rewards  of  eternal  life,  without  daily  striving  for  the 
mastery, X 

Y.  The  last  evil  I  shall  mention,  as  likely  to  endan- 
ger the  faith  of  the  church,  arises  from  the  false  liberali^ 
ty  of  the  day.  Instead  of  following  the  apostolick  direc- 
tion, ^try  the  spirits  whether  they  be  of  God'TI — ^take  heed 
unto  the  doctrine'|| — ^hold  fast  the  form  of  sound  v/ords'§ — = 
^contend  earnestly  for  the  Faith'** — ^a  man  that  is  an  here- 
tic after  the  first  and  second  admonition  reject  ;'tf  it  has 
become  fashionable  to  take  every  thing  by  the  hand, 
which  assumes  the  name  of  Christ ;  and  to  brand  as  secta- 
rian and  bigoted,  whatever  may  be  urged,  it  matters  not  how 
meekly,  in  defence  of  the  one  LouD;  one  Faith,  one 

*  Phil.  ii.  12.  f  Prov.  ii.  4— John  v.  39— Acts,  xvii.  2. 

i  Luke  xiii.  24-^11.  Tim.  ii.  5—1.  Cor.  ix.  25~Phil.  i.  27. 

%  I.  John,  iv.  1.  I  I.  Tira.  iv.  16.        §  II.  Tim.  i,  13.  Jude,  3. 

ff  TitUB,  iii.  10. 


9 


Baptism,*  taogbt,  under  hispiraiiou  of  God,  by  the  a- 
posile  of  iha  Gentiles.  Tims  the  timid  are  silenced;  the 
hand  of  discipline  is  paralized;  the  bulwarks  of  truth  de- 
molislicd;  and  a  fellowship  formed  between  that  and  er- 
ror, repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  perilous  to  the  souls 
of  men,  and  subversive  of  the  Faith  of  the  Church. f 

Furtlicr  particulars  might  be  noticed,  but  these  are 
enough  to  convince  us,  my  brethren,  that  a  spirit  is 
abroad  in  our  day,  adverse  to  the  truth,  and  demanding 
of  us,  as  the  ministers  of  Christ,  in  the  way  of  resistance, 
Sjiecial  and  important  duties. 

These  duties  now,  secondlij,  permit  me  to  suggest. 

I.  First,  we  are  called  upon  to  have  a  special  regard 
to  tlie  nature  of  our  ministerial  ojlce. 

When,  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  duty,  public  sen- 
timent is  to  be  resisted  and  public  odium  met,  it  requires 
no  common  degree  of  firmness,  not  to  be  swayed  by  con- 
siderations of  personal  popularity  and  ease.  Our  coward- 
ice will  plead  for  a  conciliation — -our  slothfuluess  for  a  for- 
bearance— our  selfishness  for  a  liberality,  wholly  incom- 

*  Eph  iv.  5. 

I  "  There  prevails  in  the  proscnt  day,  a  spurious  kind  of  liberality,  which  WOUlJ 
teach  us  to  regard  with  equal  complaisancy,  almost  every  diversity  of  religious  opia- 
ion,  however  irreconcilable  with  the  tenets  which  we  ourselves  believe  to  be  the  un- 
sophisticated doctrine  of  God's  word.  Hence,  though  that  word  is  made  by  many 
the  instrument  of  spreading  religious  error,  yet,  because  it  is  appealed  to  for  the  sanc- 
tion of  error,  as  well  as  of  truth,  w^e  are  often  called  upon  to  give  the  right  hand  of 
felhnvi^hip  even  to  those  by  whom  it  is  thus  perverted.  As  if  the  time  had  already 
come,  when  the  wolf  should  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  lie  down  with  the 
kid."  [fsaiah,  xi.  6,]  and  "  nothing  should  hurt  or  destroy  in  all  God's  holy  moun- 
tain," [Isaiah,  xi.  9,]  many  arc  lulled  into  secui'ity,  under  the  persuasion,  that  error  and 
falsehood  arc  harmless  in  their  nature,  and  will  cease  to  molest  us,  if  we  admit  them 
into  onr  fold.  According  to  this  persuasion,  Christian  charity  seems  to  have  lost  one 
of  its  distinctive  characters,  that  of  "  rejoicing  in  the  truth,"  [1  Cor.  xiii.  6,]  and  to 
rejoice  rather  in  sacrificing  the  truth  for  the  semblance  of  concord.  "  The  bond  of 
peace"  is  no  longer  to  be  found  in  "  unity  of  spirit,"  [Eph.  iv.  3] — but  diversity  and 
disunion  are  to  work  the  happy  eflecl.  A  boundless  latitudinarianism  is  to  supply 
the  place  of  fixed  principles  ;  and  to  every  religionist  who  professes  to  derive  his  tenets 
from  the  Scriptures,  the  plea  is  to  be  allowed  of  an  equal  adherence  to  Divine  truth  ; 
as  if  the  word  of  God  were  responsible  for  whatever  of  confusion  or  contrariety  may 
te  engrafted  upon  it  by  human  devices  !      6Ve  Van  Mildcrt'f  Jiampton  Lectures* 


10 


patible  with  Udelity  to  the  truth.  Effectually  to  resist 
these  weaknesses  of  our  nature^  it  becomes  us  to  be  ever 
mindful  that  ive  are  not  our  oivn,^  hut  ministers  of  Christ;\ 
that  we  bear  Ms  message^  act  under  his  authority,  and  are 
answerable  at  his  bar;  that  although  by  a  faithless  conceal- 
ment of  that  message,  or  a  presumptuous  misuse  of  that  au- 
thority, w^e  may  think  to  escape  worldly  censure,  the  day 
of  retribution  is  at  hand,  when  the  curse  of  having  preached 
another  Gosi^el^X  will  rest  upon  our  souls.  Brethren  in 
the  sacred  office,  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  stand  in  Chrisfs 
steady  before  sinners  !  to  be  the  dispensers  of  the  word 
of  God  to  a  perishing  world!  Honorable  indeed  is  our 
calling ;  but  O,  how  tremendous  will  be  our  doom,  should 
we.  fail  to  fulfil  it!  Let,  then,  the  censure  and  mis- 
construction of  men  be  the  reward  of  our  faithfulness  to 
Christ — let  our  boldness,  m  not  shunnins;  to  declare 
ike  whole  counsel  of  God,^  subject  us  to  the  imputation  of 
bigotry,  or  the  vindictive  violence  of  the  enemies  of  truth, 
we  have  this  for  our  answer — '  Our  commission  is  from 
God ;  we  are  entrusted  with  the  words  of  eternal  life;  we 
have  vowed  fidelity  in  dispensing  them,  and  we  dare  not 
break  that  vow ;  we  revere  the  authority  of  a  heavenly  mas- 
ter ;  we  rely  upon  his  promise ;  we  fear  to  incur  his  wrath  ^ 
^ivhat  the  Lord  our  God^  then^  hath  jput  into  our  mouths^ 
that  must  ive  speaTc^W 

II.  This  will  suggest  to  us  another  duty  especially  in- 
cumbent— that  of  due  suhnission  to  God  and  his  Church, 
in  learning  and  preaching  the  truth. 

Bound  by  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  at  the  altar  of  God, 
to  give  your  faithful  diligence  ^  alivays  so  to  minister  the 
doctrine  of  Christ j  as  the  Lord  hath  commanded,  and  as  this 

*  1  Cor.  vi.  13.  i  1  Cor.  iv.  1.  t  Galatians,  i.  8.        ^  2  Cor.  v.  20. 

t  Acts,  XX.  !47.  3  Numbers,  xxii.  58— xxiii.  12—1  Kings,  xxii.  U. 


11 


Church  hath  received  the  same,^  it  can  require  no  word* 
from  me,  to  enforce  the  fiii-ther  and  consequent  obli- 
gation, to  diligence  in  reading  the  Holy  Scrijjtiires,  and  in 
such  studies  as  help  to  a  knowledge  of  them.-\  As  Protest- 
ants, we  agree  in  taking  the  Scriptures  as  the  rule  of  faith  ^ 
so  that  whatever  is  not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved 
thereby,  is  not  to  be  required  of  any  man,  that  it  should  b& 
believed  as  an  article  of  faith,  or  be  thought  requisite  or 
necessary  to  salvation. %  But  as  ministers  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  Church,  we  have  made  a  solemn  declara- 
tion of  our  belief  in  her  doctriues  as  scriptural,  and  have 
vowed  fidelity  to  her  interests,  and  submission  to  her  autho- 
rity, in  diligently  setting  them  forth,  as  the  doctrines  of  God» 
We  are  not  at  liberty,  tlierefore,  to  depart  in  the  slightest 
degree,  from  the  Faith  of  the  Church,  as  expressed  in  her 
Articles  and  Liturgy,  Our  professed  submission  was  volun- 
tary— it  must  be  real  and  unqualified.  To  ensure  this,  how- 
ever, too  great  caution  cannot  be  observed  in  the  principles  we 
adopt  and  the  authorities  we  consult,  in  our  study  of  God's 
word.  This  word  is  indeed  the  fountaiit  of  all  truth,  clear 
and  unadulterated  in  itself;  but  a  fountain,  be  it  remem- 
bered, from  which,  through  the  passions  and  the  pride  of 
man,  have  proceeded  many  impure  and  noxious  streams. 
He  that  drinketh  of  these  streams  may  not  actually  die, 
but  he  will  hardly  escape  serious  injury.  How  important 
then,  that,  in  our  endeavors  to  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures, we  avoid  those  fanciful  and  sceptical  writings,  so 
much  consulted  in  ourday,*|[  to  the  unspeakable  detriment 

*  See  the  form  and  manner  of  ordering  Priests. 

f  In  reading  God's  word,  should  we  not  be  more  likely  to  understand  it,  did  W6 
read  it  less  as  critics,  and  more  as  sinners  ?  Human  reason  and  human  learning 
are  here  necessary  ;  but  do  they  not  often  stumble,  when  an  humble  heart  and  an  en- 
lightening Spirit  would  have  held  them  up  ]  ?  Art.  vi.of  Arts,  of  Religion. 

^Particular  reference  is  here  had  to  the  great  body  of  GEnwi."??  Tueologt. — Sea 
Bp.  Jcbb's  Primary  Charge — Dr.  John  Pye  Smith's  Scripture  Testimony  to  the  Me*» 
»iah— and  particularly^  Rose  on  the  state  of  Protestantism  in  Germany. 


12 


of  the  truth.  Even  could  our  mi  ads  become  familiar 
with  their  pages  without  harm  from  their  levity  and  arro- 
gant assumptions^  our  time  would  he  too  short  and  precious 
to  admit  the  lawfulness  of  the  sacrifice  which  their  study 
would  demand.  At  least;  under  the  burdens  which  our 
parish  duties  must  necessarily  impose,  we  have  no  leisure 
to  devote  to  other  studies  than  such  as  are  directly  and 
positively  subservient  to  our  ministerial  efficiency.* 

We  regard  the  Church,  as  tJie  ivitness  and  the  keep- 
er  of  holy  writ.f  The  principles  therefore  that  guided 
her,  in  determining  the  sacred  Canon,  are  the  principles 
upon  which  we  should  proceed  in  getting  a  knowledge  of 
its  Truths.  That  which  has  been  received,  in  alljjlaces^ 
at  all  times,  and  hy  all  the  Faithful is  not  less  deserving 
of  confidence  now,  than  it  was,  at  the  period  when  this 
test  of  its  truth  was  adopted.  As  Churchmen,  tlien,  we  may 
with  equal  right  discard  any  book  of  the  canonical  scriptures, 
as  any  article  of  either  the  Nicene  or  the  Aposile's  creed  :T[ 
the  verity  of  both  standing  upon  the  same  evidence — the 
ivitness  of  the  Church,  In  searching  the  Scriptures,  there- 
fore, we  are  to  have  special,  and  submissive  regard 
to  the  doctrines  of  these  our  ancient  creeds,  as  attested 
by  the  primitive  Fathers.  But,  as  many  of  you,  my 
brethren,  have  no  means  of  access  to  these  Fathers,  in 
the  language  in  which  they  Vvere  originally  v/ritteu, — let 
me  recommend,  in  their  absence,  an  assiduous  and  care- 
ful study  of  the  leading  writers  in  the  Church  of  England 
during  the  two  centuries  immediately  subsequent  to  the 

*  See  Question  5th  in  form  and  manner  of  ordering  Priests.  -j-  Art.  xx. 

i  Quod  ubicjue,  quod  semper,  quod  ab  07imibus  crediium  est — The  Commonitory 
of  Vincentius  Lirinensi?,  chap.  iii. — Eceves'  pologies. 

^  See  Art.  viii.— Bingham  Antiquities,  Book  x,  chap.  iv. — Peareon  on  the  Creed, 
Art.  Tiii.— Burnet  on  Art.  viii. — Bp.  Bull's  Defeneio  Fidei  Nicente. — See  especially. 
Sermon  viii. — Van  Mildcrt's  Bnmpton  Lectures  ;  also,  Sermon  xv.  vol,  II. — Hobavt's 
Sermons  on  the  p  rincipal  event,>  and  truths  of  Redemption. 


13 


reformation  in  that  Country.  The  concentration  of  learn- 
ing, the  force  of  arguiuent,  the  singleness  of  purpose^  the 
humbleness  of  mind,  the  Scriptiira]  simplicity,  accuracy 
and  power,  which  distinguish  these  great  writers,  give 
them  a  claim,  next  to  the  word  of  God  and  our  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  to  the  attention  of  every  Gospel  Min- 
ister ;  and  particularly  fit  them  for  a  place  in  the  Libra- 
ries of  such,  as,  from  the  nature  of  their  duties,  have  little 
time  for  the  acquisition  of  Theological  knowledge.  They 
will  furnish  you  with  the  principles  upon  which  such 
acquisition  may  safely  and  successfully  be  prosecu- 
ted ;  tliey  will  lay  at  your  feet  the  richest  treasures 
of  christian  antiquity,  and  in  a  compass  sufficiently  small 
to  meet  tiie  circumstances  of  every  divine  ;  they  will  open 
before  you  the  still  richer  treasures  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
son  of  God  committed  to  his  Church,  in  a  manner  the  most 
impressive  and  exemplary.  And  while  they  thus  enable 
you  to  understand  the  word,  they  will  teach  you,  by  their 
own  spirit,  how  that  word  is  to  be  received. — how  deep 
and  entire  the  self  renunciation  needful  for  those^  wJio 
icoidd  2)reacliy  not  tliemselves,  hut  Christ  Jesus  tJie  Lord.^ 

III.  The  next  duty  to  your  own  submission,  is  tliaty 
so  far  as  you  can  effect  it,  of  the  submission  to  the  Gos- 
pel in  the  Church,  of  every  member  of  your  congregations. 

You  are  to  teach  and  enforce  the  Scriptural  Truth, 
tliat  the  PriesVs  lips  are  to  Iceep  knowledge,  and  that 
the  people  are  to  receive  the  laiv  at  his  mouth  :j — that,  de- 
ference to  his  superior  wisdom  and  divine  commission, 
and  to  the  authority  of  the  Church  whose  Faith,  at  Holy 
Baptism,  they  professed  to  believe,  and  vowed  to  main- 
tain, should,  in  searching  the  Scriptures^  repress  tlieir 


*  2  Cor.  iv.  5.    ■[  Malachi,  ii,  7.— See  the  Clergyman's  companion  by  Bp.  Hobart- 


14 


pride  of  opinion,  restrain  their  fond  conceits,  and  put  them 
in  the  attitude  of  devout  and  humble  learners  in  the  School 
of  Christ. 

Brethren,  there  is  a  criminal  latitude  sometimes  claim- 
ed by  our  parishioners  in  this  matter,  under  plea  of  '  lib- 
erty of  conscience/  A  liberty  which  is  erroneously^up- 
posed  to  £;ive  them  unlimited  scope  in  selecting  for  them- 
selves and  families,  the  sources  of  knowledge  and  gui- 
dance in  the  way  of  life. 

But  wliat  liberty  is  that,  which  gives  release  from 
the  commandment  of  God — that  we  should  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  son  Jesus  Christ  ?*  AYhat  liberty  is  that, 
which  allows  an  individual,  baptised  into  the  Faith  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  and  pledged  by  solemn  promise  to 
walk  therein  unto  his  life^send,  to  place  himself  in  a  situa- 
tion, where  the  power  of  that  Faith  in  his  mind,  may  be 
weakened — perhaps  destroyed?  Which  allows  a  parent 
to  subject  his  baptised  children  to  the  influence  of  instruc- 
tions or  books,  adverse  to  the  teachings  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  Church  of  God?  Alas!  what  liberty  is  that,  which 
thus  dispenses  with  divine  commands,  covenant  vows,  and 
infinitely  interesting  and  weighty  obligations  ! 

Brethren  in  Christ!  ye  are  sheplierds  of  his  flock: 
and  if  it  shall  happen  that  any  member  thereof  do  take 
any  hurt  or  hindrance  by  reason  of  your  neglect,  ye  know 
the  greatness  of  the  fault,  and  the  horrible  punishment 
that  will  ensue.  Wherefore  consider  with  yourselves  the 
end  of  the  ministry  towards  the  children  of  God  ;  and  see 
that  ye  never  cease  your  labour,  your  care  and  diligence, 
until  ye  have  done  all  that  lieth  in  you,  according  to  your 
bounden  duty,  to  bring  all  sucii  as  are,  or  shall  be  com- 

•  1  John,  iii.  13— v.  23. 


15 


milted  to  your  charge^  uiito  an  agreement  in  the  Faith  and 
knoivledge  of  God,^^^  Instruct  them  faithfully  in  the 
whole  truth,  and  guard  them  against  everij  error.  Teach 
them,  that  the  meekness  and  docility  of  childhood  alone, 
can  fit  them  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  :  "  that  if  any 
man  will  do  the  will  of  Grod — be  ready  in  his  heart  to 
submit  to  the  divine  commands — he  shall  Tcnoio  of  the 
doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God  ;'^f  shall  find  his  doubt3 
vanish,  and  the  light  of  truth  gradually  break  upon  his 
mind,  as  he  advances  in  the  way  of  obedience.  Show 
them,  that  there  is  but  one  plan  of  Salvation — Hiut  one 
mediator  between  God  and  man;' J — ^but  one  Lord,'  one 
Faith,  07?e  Baptism;^ — ^  that  by  one  Spirit  we  are  all 
baptised  into  one  body.'^  Show  them,  that  this  is  the 
doctrine  of  God  ;  that  it  has  Christ  for  its  corner-stone  ; — 
Apostles  for  its  defenders; — the  blood  of  martyrs  for  its 
testimony ; — the  Holy  Spirit  for  its  life-giving  pow- 
er ; — the  submission  of  the  whole  multitude  of  primi- 
tive saints — of  the  faithful  in  all  ages,  for  its  trophy. — 
Enforce  then  the  duty  of  implicit  submission  to  the  di- 
vine will — to  the  divine  system  of  pardon,  sanctification 
and  Salvation.  Enforce  it  especially  upon  such,  as,  from 
the  denominations  around  you,  may  ask  admission  into 
the  Church.  Convince  them  of  her  claims,  by  exhibiting 
her  Scriptural  character — her  divine  authority — her  pure 
faith — her  heavenly  charity.  Show  them,  that  God  is  with 
the  Church  ; — that  Christ  is  her  glorious  head,  that  by  his 
spirit,  his  ministers,  his  word  and  Sacraments,  he  edifies  her 
members,  and  unites  them  in  one  holy  bond  of  fellowship. 

It  is  thus  you  are  to  promote  submission,  in  your 
flocks,  to  the  Faith  once  delivered  to  the  Saints 4 

•  See  the  form  and  manner  of  ordering  Priests.  f  John  vii.  17. 

i  1  Tnn.  ii.  5.  ^  Ep!i.  iv,  5.  |  1  Cor.  xii.  13.  !]  Jude,  3. 


18 


But  io  enjoy  the  certain  pledge  of  success,  you  must 
be  faithful  with  the  young.  Take  theai  in  that  state,  to 
which  our  Saviour  says,  all  must  be  brought  to  be  fit  for 
Lis  kingdom — before  pride  hath  made  them,  in  their  own 
esteem,  iviser  than  their  teachers — and  carry  them  through 
all  the  stages  of  catechetical  and  otlier  instruction,  which 
the  Church  contemplates,  and  in  due  conformity  with  her 
spirit  and  injunctions,  and  you  may  look  for  their  stead- 
fast continuance  in  the  A]]ostles^  doctrine.  But  in  order 
to  accomplish  this,  it  will  be  incumbent  on  you  to  exer- 
cise much  vigilance,  in  securing  their  minds  from  tlie  de- 
structive influence  of  mis -named  religious  books  ;  I  mean 
that  class,  designed  for  children,  which  are  made  up  of 
fictitious  narrative — detailing  marvellous  conversions  and 
experiences  of  early  youth,  and  making  Religion  consist 
rather  in  impulse  than  in  abiding  and  actuating  principle, 
thus  filling  the  mind  with  false  notions,  distracting  it  with 
luinecessafy  fears,  disgusting  it  with  sober  truths,  and  put- 
ting it  upon  the  pursuit  of  impossible  attainments.  But 
this  is  not  the  end  of  tlic  pernicious  catalogue.  There  is 
another  kind  of  hook  still  more  to  be  dreaded,  as  it  is  less 
likely  to  excite  suspicion.  I  mean  that  kind  which  professes 
to  take  neutral  ground — to  teach  practical  Godliness  with- 
out meddling  with  tlie  doctrines  of  God — to  teach  Gospel 
truth,  but  not  tlie  vjhole  truth  of  the  Gospel;  thus  keeping 
out  of  view  what  would  be  likely  to  wound  sectarian  pride 
or  offend  sectarian  bigotry. 

Brethren  beloved,  we  have  not  so  learned  Christ^ — 
not  so  vowed  to  sustain  liis  kingdom.  Our  duty  is  one, 
undivided  and  indivisible — to  give  savirig  effect  to  the  whole 
truth  J  as  it  is  in  Jesus  :  to  send  the  youthful  soldier  to  his 


"  Eph.  iv.  20. 


17 


conflict  with  '  the  woikl,  the  flesh  and  the  devil/  clad  in 
the  xolioU  armour  of  God.^  And,  in  the  discharge  of  this 
duty,  we  have  learned  but  one  fear — the  fear  of  offending 
GroD  ;  we  dare  not  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost ^  hij  keeping  hack 
part  of  the  truth.  Oar's  is  the  duty,  and  our's  the  cour- 
age, to  raise  boldly  aloft  our  standard — to  unfurl  the  ban* 
ner  of  the  cross ,  that  every  line  and  mark  upon  it,  may 
be  visible  to  the  eye  of  those  who  enquire  the  way  to 
Zion.'\  Our  course  then,  is  plain,  in  regard  to  whatever 
may  be  thrown  before  the  young  members  of  our  flock  cal* 
culated  to  instil  low  and  partial  views,  and  thus  to  secure 
to  Christ,  only  a  partial  and  disjointed  service.  We 
must  perform  a  ^lustration'  in  our  parishes — carefully 
purge  from  our  Parochial  and  Sunday  School  Libraries 
every  volume  of  this  insiduous  and  unfaithful  character. 
But  to  effect  our  purpose  fully — to  bring  every  thought 
and  feeling  into  captivity  to  Christ,  another  influence 
is  rising  in  the  Church,  against  which  we  must  as- 
siduously guard;  that  of  unauthorized  instruction.  I  re- 
fer not  now  to  those  numerous  professed  teachers  around 
us,  who  have  no  commission  from  Grod,  but  to  those,  who^ 
from  our  mis-managed  or  mis-applied  Sunday  School  sys- 
tem, are  springing  up  among  ourselves.  God  forbid  that 
I  should  put  a  word  on  record,  to  discourage  the  unpre- 
tending, self-denying  labours  of  such,  as,  in  the  character 
of  the  primitive  catechist^X  subject  at  all  times  to  the 
ministry,  have  given  themselves  assiduously  to  Sunday 
School  instruction.  They  deserve  all  encouragement, 
and  all  praise.  But  in  reference  to  a  class  of  teachers,, 
who,  leaving  the  humble  place  of  the  catechist,  have  mount- 
ed into  the  seat  of  the  expounder  of  Holy  writ,Tf  permit 

♦  Eph.  vi.  13.       \  Jer.  L.  5.         ^  See  Bingham  Antiquities,  Book  lii.  chap. 
1  "  Well  would  it  be  for  those  v^ho,  with  rash  and  unhallowed  hands,  thus  attempt 

3 


18 


me  to  §ay;  tliey  are  entitled  only  to  your  discountenance, 
and  your  prayers  that  they  may  come  to  a  better  mind. 
Painful  as  may  be  the  duty,  you  will  find  it  indispensible, 
to  purity  of  Faith  and  scriptural  subordination  of  spirit, 
to  allow  them  no  influence  among  the  young  members  of 
your  flock.  Be  advised,  tlien,  to  take  your  Sunday 
Schools  into  your  own  charge,  and,  under  no  circumstan- 
ces, sufi'er  them  to  go  beyond  your  immediate  supervi- 
sion. Parents  look  to  you — the  Church  looks  to  you, 
for  such  guardianship.  She  has  laid  upon  you  her  sol- 
emn injunctions  ;^  has  declared  you  to  be  responsible,^t 
in  this  matter,  to  her  divine  Head.  If  you  would  have 
united  and  prosperous  parishes,  affectionate  to  yourselves, 
and  devoted  to  your  Redeemer — if  you  would  enjoy  the 
blessed  satisfaction,  to  see  your  sjnritual  cliildren  ivalking 
in  the  truth,  and  to  meet  them  joyful  and  happy  at  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day;  never  lose  sight  of  your  duty 
to  the  lambs  of  the  flock  of  Christ — the  duty  of  thorough 
fersonal  catechetical  instruction .{ 

to  fashion  the  venerable  fabric  of  Christian  doctrine,  to  suit  their  perverted  ta&tes,  to 
remember  one,  and  assuredly  one  of  the  most  importnnt  of  its  doctrines  for  the  direc- 
tion and  formation  of  our  faith,  that  tlie  one  grand  requisite  for  a  Christian  believer  is. 
a  patient  teachableness,  aud  a  throwing  down  of  the  strong  holds  of  personal  vanity 
and  self-confxdence.  Well,  if  they  remember  the  words  of  him,  who  spake  as  never 
man  spake,  and,  in  simple  words,  poured  forih  the  treasures  of  eternal  wisdom,  that 
except  we  become  as  little  children,  we  shall  in  no  wit^e,  inherit  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, we  shall  neither  attain  a  true  knowledge  of  it  here,  nor  a  participation  of  its  glo* 
ries  hereafter,'' — Rose\  Discourses  on  Gn^man  Protestanism. 

*  See  the  Kubrick  after  the  Catechism,    -j-  See  form  and  manner  of  ordering  Priests. 

%  *'  In  truth,"  says  Bishop  Hall,  "  the  most  useful  of  all  preaching  is  catechetical.^* 
"I  have  spent,"  he  adds,  "the  greater  half  of  my  life  in  this  station  of  our  holy  ser- 
vice; I  thank  God,  not  unpainfuUy  nor  unprontably  ;  but  there  is  no  one  tiling  of 
•which  I  repent  so  imich,  as  not  to  have  bestowed  more  hours  in  this  exercise  of  cate- 
chizing. In  regard  whereof,  I  could  quarrel  with  my  very  sermons,  and  wish  that  a 
great  part  of  them  had  been  exchanged  for  tins  preaching  conference^ 

JEpist.  Dedic.  to  his  discourse  on  the  Old  lieligion. 

Dr.  Fuller,  the  well  known  author  of  the  Church  History,  expresses  himself  in  hia 
Mixt  Contempt,  sect.  49.  much  to  the  same  purpose.  In  fact  one  ean  hardly  go  a- 
misti,  in  looking  for  testimony  to  the  importance  of  eatechizingy  among  the  old 
standard  -writers  of  the  Church  in  England, 


19 


IV.  Your  aUention  is  called  to  a  fourth  duty  de* 
mauded  by  the  spirit  of  tiie  times  ; — -that  of  jealous 
"watchfulness  over  our  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Thia^ 
or  what  was  like  it^  haS;  iu  all  ages,  proved  itself  the 
strongest  bulwark  of  Evangelical  Truth.*     In  our  owa 
day  especially,  it  may  be  looked  upon  as  our  safeguard 
from  multiform  and  insinuating  error — our  bond  of  union 
in  the  midst  of  distracting  schism. f  They  who  once  cast  it 
off  as  an  encumbrance,  have  since  discovered  and  con- 
fessed; perhaps  too  late,  that  they  cast  from  them  a  pro- 
tecting shield.    Brethren,  let  not  the  events  of  the  past 
be  lost  upon  us.    When  I  contemplate  the  Church,  in  re- 
ference to  the  assurance  of  our  Divine  Lord,     the  gates 
of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it,^^J  and  observe  the  im- 
pregnable defence  we  enjoy,  in  our  venerable  Liturgy,  I 
cannot  but  regard  it  as  a  mark  of  his  special  favour,  and 
a  signal  insta^nce  of  the  fulfilment  of  his  gracious  promise. 
Let  us  hold  fast  then,  the  gift  thus  bcnignantly  bestowed. 
Our's  is  a  day  of  hurried  and  inconsiderate  change.  The 
very  goodness  of  our  cause,  and  the  rapidity  of  our  move- 
ment in  advancing  it,  unite  to  enhance  our  danger.  A 
mis-step  now,  while  under  the  exulting  speed  of  a  suc- 
cessful course,  is  both  more  likely,  and  more  perilous  than 
at  any  other  time.     We  know  not  ivJiat  the  clay  may  hring 
forth. ^    It  becomes  us  then,  to  luatch^  to  be  sober ^  to  be 
always  ready — ready  to  resist,  with  all  the  power  that  God 
has  given  us,  every  threatened  encroachment  upon  this 
form  of  sound  and  holy  words.    Men  are  growing  rest- 
less and  impatient  under  the  worship  of  Almighty  God| 

•  Robc'e  Diecourseg  ou  Protestantism  in  Germany. 

I  For  the  truth  of  the  above,  we  need  only  refer  to  the  present  united  state  of  tha 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  this  country,  in  contrast  with  the  dialractod  condition 
of  the  denominations  around  us, 

t  Matthew,  xvi,  19,  Proverbs,  xx'.ii,  L 


20 


and  we,  I  feai>  from  a  too  great  desire  to  humour  the  tem- 
per of  the  age,  are  disposed  to  become  lax  and  hasty  in 
granting  what  the  restless  and  impatient  may  demand. — 
An  abridged  service  follows  close  in  the  track  of  an  abridg- 
ed manner  of  conducting  it.  Let  us  beware,  lest  the  prin- 
cijple  of  change  being  once  admitted,  we  be  forced  in  its 
application  beyond  our  wills.  Our  Liturgy  is  a  sacred 
trust  for  the  generations  to  come.  It  is  our  ark  of  the  co- 
venant, wherein  are  deposited  the  oracles  of  God's  truth. 
Let  us  not  profanely  touch  this  ark/  lest  we  jpeinsh  from 
the  right  ivay.^ 

But  your  duty  ends  not  here.  Tlie  Cliurch  exacts 
of  you  ^^diligence,  by  stated  catechetical  lectures  and  in- 
struction, in  informing  the  youth  and  others  of  your  con- 
gregations in  her  Liturgy.'^I  This,  then,  is  to  consti- 
tute a  regular  theme  for  public  discourse.  The  pure  and 
primitive  source  whence  it  comes  to  us ;  its  exact  agree- 
ment with  the  Holy  Scriptures ;+  the  beauty  and  force 
with  which  it  illustrates  them;  the  admirable  order  in 
w^hich  it  brings  their  truths  before  the  mind,  and  incul- 
cates their  precepts  upon  the  life;  how  it  humbles  the 
pride  of  the  sinner  ;Ty  divests  him  of  self-righteousness  and 
strength,  and  casts  him  unreservedly  upon  the  merits  of 
a  crucified  Saviour,  and  the  grace  of  a  quickening  and 
sanctifying  spirit;  how,  at  every  step,  it  elevates  and  ^glo- 
ries in  the  Cross  of  Christ ;'  makes  ^every  knee  bow  be- 
fore him,  and  every  tongue  confess  that  he  is  Lord  ;'§ 
how  readily  it  adapts  itself  to  every  want,  and  every  stage 

*  Psalms,  ii.  12.  ■[-  Sec  Canon  xxiii.  of  the  General  Convention. 

t  See  on  this  point,  an  admirable  Tuact,  by  Rev.  Francis  H.  Cuming. 

1[  See  Confession  in  Daily  Prayer, — Confession  in  Communion  Service, — Addres* 
at  commencement  of  the  Mutistration  of  Public  BAP-rrsM — Art.  ix.  CoUectB. 

See  beginning  of  the  Litany — The  conclusion  of  Every  Collect. — The  Creeds—. 
Art.  xi.,  <kG.  840.  ^        Phil.  ii.  10,  11. 


21 


of  Christian  obedience ;  how  it  takes  the  young,  the  peni- 
tent and  the  enquiring  by  tlie  hand,  and  leading  them  out 
from  a  wicked  world,  conducts  them  unto  the  fold  of  the 
Redeemer,  and  ^feeds  them  with  food  convenient  for  them'* 
—  helps  them  on  from  one  degree  of  wisdom  and  strength 
to  another,  Hill  they  arrive  at  the  fulness  of  the  stature  of 
perfect  men  in  Christ;'!  thus  providing  that  he  shall  be- 
come unto  them,  indeed,  ^wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption  these  are  among  the 
weighty  topics,  which,  in  the  discharge  of  your  bounden 
duty,  you  are  to  open  and  enforce.  And  you  will  at  once 
perceive,  from  their  character,  the  exalted  design  of  the 
Church,  in  exacting  of  you  this  duty;  that  she  aims  only 
at  giving  legitimate  and  saving  effect  to  the  ^Gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God  ;'^  at  securing  for  that  Gospel,  in  the  incul- 
cation of  her  Liturgy,  due  Submission,  regard  and  preser- 
vation. Frustrate  not,  by  your  negligence,  this  design  of 
the  Church.  Be  faithful  in  imparting  to  your  people,  a 
projjer  knoivledgey  and  in  urging  upon  them,  a  iiroper  use 
of  our  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  you  will  do  much 
to  protect  them  against  the  errors  of  the  day.  You  will 
puca-v,,-  'ia.pri  s^yoi^t[?  into  their  hands  for  their  own 
defence;  will  most  .1,.  f.miis^*- 

of  faith     What,  beloved  brethren,  can  be  MMl 
^i:  fa„t  to  the  preservation  of  sound  doctrine,  than  to 
t  a  iir.  hold  upon  the  understandings  the  .e.ones, 
tnd  affections  of  our  people?-than  to  provide  for  xt  vveek- 

iv  ackno^.ledgemeut  and  rehearsal  in  the  house  of  God? 

Le   a  congregation  be  habituated,  each  Lord's-day,  to 

bend  the  W  together  before  their  Mmi.My  and  most 

;:t^^Fa./.er,a'.l  confess  tlutt/.e,.^ 

-^v.x«,a.       tEph.iv.l3,  .lCor.i.30  .AcU,.x.24, 


22 


fd  from  his  ways  like  lost  sheep;  tliat  thei/  have  offended 
against  his  Holij  Laws;  that  there  is  no  health  in  them; 
that  the]}  are  miserable  sinners^  and  deserve  to  he  punish- 
ed for  their  offences:  And  let  them  supplicate  to  be  spared 
for  Jesus  Chrisfs  sake  ;  to  be  delivered  by  the  agony  and 
Moody  sweat,  by  the  cross  and  passion,  the  precious  death 
and  burial,  the  glorious  resurrection  and  ascension,  of  the 
incarnate  wordr*  Let  them  be  habituated  to  ask  mercy 
of  God  the  Fatheu  of  heaven;  of  God  //?e  Son,  Re- 
deemer of  the  loorld — o/*GoD  the  1{oly  Ghost,  proceeding 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son — of  the  holy,  blessed,  and  glo- 
rious Trinity,  three  persons  and  one  God:^  Let  them 
be  habituated  to  confess,  that,  from  God,  all  holy  desires, 
all  good  counsels,  and  all  just  w  orks,  do  proceed;]  and  to 
beseech  Him,  to  endue  them  ivith  the  grace  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  to  amend  their  lives  according  to  his  holy  word;* 
to  cleanse  the  thoughts  of  their  hearts,  by  the  inspiration  of 
his  Holy  Spirit  ;X  to  direct,  sanctify  and  govern  both  their 
hearts  and  bodies,  in  the  ivays  of  his  laics,  and  the  ivorks 
of  his  Commandments  ;X  that  he  would  grant  his  Holy 
Spirit,  that  their  lives  may  be  pnre  and  holy,  and  that  at 
last  iM„fp^}^^r.Ms  et^rj^joj-:^^  \  .'^ 

lu  Corumandments ;^  that  he  would  idivev  them 
from  ad  their  sins,  and  confirm  and  strengthen  them  in 
all  goodness,-^  grant  that  they  may  evermore  serve  him 
m  hoaness  and pureness  of  Uving  ;^  that  they  may  show 
firth  his  praise  not  only  with  their  Ups,  hutin  their  lives, 
having  up  themselves  to  his  service,  and  by  tvalking  be^ 

■  CcDcct,  Conclusion  of  the  Liianr  '  Al^okuion ,  ^  I,,„„j.. 


23 


fore  him  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  their  days:* 
Let  them  be  habituated  to  pour  out  their  hearts  to  Ood 
at  tlie  Baptismal  font ;  that  iufants  and  others  corning  to 
holy  Bajjiism,  -may  receive  remission  of  sin  by  spiritual 
regeneration  ;  that  God  would  give  them  his  Holy  Spirit^ 
that;  in  that  divinely  appointed  and  commanded  rite,  they 
may  he  horn  again,  and  made  heirs  of  salvation  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ that  lie  would  vouchsafe  to  re^ 
ceive  them  ;  to  release  them  from  sin;  to  sanctify  them  with 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  to  give  them  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and 
everlasting  life.'X  Let  them  be  h abituated,  after  Baptism ,  to 
thanTc  God  that  it  hath  jdeased  him  to  regenerate  them  iviih 
his  Holy  Sjoirif,  to  receive  them  for  his  own  cliildren 
hy  ado])tion,  and  to  incorporate  them  into  his  Holif 
Church  and  to  supplicate,  that,  th^y?  heing  bu- 
ried  with  Christ  in  his  death ,  may  crucify  the  old  man^ 
and  utterly  abolish  the  whole  body  of  sin^ — tliat,  being  re- 
generate and  made  his  children  by  adoption  and  grace^ 
they  may  daily  be  renewed  by  his  Holy  Spirit:\\  Let  them 
be  habituated  to  acknowledge  that  they  are  bound,  accord- 
ing to  the  solemn  promise  and  vow  of  their  sponsors,  to 
renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  the  pomp  and  vani- 
ties of  this  wicked  ivorld,  and  all  the  sinful  lusts  of  the 
flesh;  to  believe  all  the  Articles  of  the  Christian  Faith; 
and  to  keep  God's  holy  will  and  Commandments,  and  walk 
in  the  same  all  the  days  of  their  life:^^  Let  them  be  Iia- 
bituated  heartily  to  thank  their  heavenly  Father,  that  he 
hath  called  thein  to  this  state  of  salvalioyi  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  tojiray  unto  him,  to  give  them  his  gracey 
that  they  tnay  continue  in  the  same  unto  their  lifers  end:^f 


•  General  Thanksgiving.  j  Collect  Public  Baptism  of  riifanta. 

i  Things  prayeiJ  for  before  Bsptiam.     ^  Thanksgiving  after  Baptism. 

^  Prayer  after  Baptism,    fj  Collect  Christmas  day  •*  Catechism* 


Let  tliein  be  habituated  thus  to  confess,  to  pray  and  to 
give  thanks,  their  minds  being  duly  disciplined  by  instruc- 
tion and  admonition ;  and  how  feeble  will  be  the  assaults 
of  error !  What  teacher  of  '  false  doctrine,  heresy  or 
schism/  will  then  be  likely  to  corrupt  in  their  minds  the 
pure  word  of  God  to  sluike  their  belief  in  the  scriptural 
doctrines  of  human  depravity  by  the  fall  5  vicarious  atone- 
ment by,  and  justification  tlirough  faith,  in  the  blood  of 
Christ ;  the  incomprehensible  Trinity  in  unity ;  man's  de- 
pendence, in  the  work  of  his  salvation,  upon  the  aids  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  necestity  of  personal  holiness ;  of  a 
new  birth  and  forgiveness  of  sins  in  Baptism;  of  subse- 
quent daily  renewal  and  sanctification  by  the  Holy  Ghost  | 
— and  of  steadfast  continuance  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine 
and  fellow  sliijp^  and  in  hrealcing  of  bread  and  in  'praijers.-\ 

Be  faithful,  be  diligent,  Brethren,  in  enforcing  the 
instructions  and  extending  the  influence  of  our  Book  of 
Common  Prayer; — in  securing  a  proper  understanding, 
esteem,  and  use  of  it,  in  your  congregations  ;  and  I  dare 
answer  for  the  correctness  and  stability  of  their  Faith. 

Y.  The  last  duty  I  shall  now  especially  urge  upon 
your  attention,  is  caution  in  adopting  new  schemes  of 
Christian  benevolence.  False  doctrine  is  often  the  off- 
spring of  unscriptural  practice.  In  fact  the  bulk  of  error 
in  our  day  had  its  origin  in  some  system  of  ill-judged  and 
misdirected  effort.  The  chief  departures,  at  the  reforma- 
tion, from  the  Gospel  pattern,  began  in  peculiarity  of  sit- 
uation, leading  to  peculiarity  in  practice.  J  Our  safety, 
Brethren,  is  in  submission  to  the  guidance  of  divine  wis- 

•  Catechism. 

f  Acts  ii>  42.  For  a  further  view  of  these  doctrines  as  given  in  our  Liturgy,  see 
Ajiostles'  and  Nicene  creeds — Comin union  Service  ;  and  the  collects  every  where. 

i  The  continental  Reformers,  when  consulted  by  the  Non-conformists  in  England, 
almost  univei-sally  advised  them  to  confonn  ; — alleging  that  a  Scriptural  Episcopyt 
such  as  was  then  established  in  the  English  Church,  ought  not  to  be  resisted  ; — and 
expressing  a  regret,  that  circumstances  beyond  their  control,  had  deprived  them  of 
thi«,  the  highest  order  in  the  ministry.    But  in  a  few  years  this  practice  of  ordaining 


25 


(lorn  in  all  our  doings.  Let  us  take,  then,  no  step  iti  the 
work  of  Christian  Charity,  without  the  sanction  of  Chris- 
tian principle.  Some  picture  of  suffering  is  sketched 
—some  pressing  exigence  is  pleaded — our  compassion  is 
touched — our  sympathies  are  awakened,  and  we  start 
forward  under  the  holy  impulses  of  charity,  without  stop- 
ping to  enquire,  in  what  real  charity  consists.  But  such 
enquiry  must  be  made,  and  made  of  the  oracles  of  God, 
or  we  shall  make  but  small  advances  in  the  work  of  doing 
good.  "  The  happiness  of  the  world,'^  says  Bishop  But- 
ler in  his  immortal  work,  is  the  concern  of  Him  who  is 
the  Lord  and  Proprietor  of  it:  nor  do  we  know  what  wo 
are  about,  when  we  endeavour  to  promote  the  good  of  man- 
kind, in  any  way  but  those  in  which  He  has  directed.'^* 
Now,  the  ^  Lord  and  Proprietor  of  the  world'  lias  direct- 
ed in  what  ivays  the  good  of  mankind  is  to  be  promoted. 
Faith  in  his  once  crucified  and  now  exalted  son,  is  the 
master  principle,  which  He  has  appointed,  to  rescue  man 
from  the  miserable  thraldom  of  sin,  and  the  sinful  world. f 
No  means,  therefore,  for  promoting  the  moral  good  of  our 
race,  are,  in  view  of  the  Gospel,  to  be  accounted  lawful^ 
which  contain  not  this  principle  of  Faith  in  Christ,  To 
secure  the  preservation  and  extension  of  this  Faith^  and  the 
proper  exertion  of  its  power  upon  the  hearts  of  men,  a  visible 
Church  was  established  by  our  Lord,  provided  with  cer- 

and  governing  without  Bishops,  which  necessity,  as  they  had  just  pleaded,  had  hecn 
forced  upon  them,  was  defended  as  scriptural,  and  continued  after  the  supposed  neces- 
sity for  it  had  ceased.  *  Diss  ii.  of  the  nature  of  virtue. 

^^For  iJ/a's  purpose  was  the  Son  of  God  manifested  that  he  might  destroy  the  works 
of  the  Devil.'  1.  John  iii.  8. 

«This  is  God's  commandment  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  J»- 
Bus  Christ.'  1.  John  iii.  23, 

*  Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son 
©f  God.'  1 .  John  v.  5 . 

*  By  Faith  we  stand-'  2.  Cor.  i.  24.  By  Faitk  wc  wnlk  2  Cov  x.  7.  By  Faith 
we  quench  all  tli*  fitry  dart*:  of  th«  wicked.  Eph.  vi.  1 

4 


26 


tain  specified  means,  and  made  the  insii'iiment^under  thegui-. 
dauce  and  blessing  of  the  Divine  Comforter,  in  carrying  for- 
wardthe  great  work  of  man's  restoration  to  holiness,  to  hap- 
piness, and  to  God.  To  this  view,  because  it  is  thewiew 
of  God's  word,  in  promoting  the  good  of  mankind,  are  \yq 
to  restrict  and  concentrate  all  our  efforts  of  Christian  Phi- 
lanthropy. 

Admit,  that  you  can,  or  suppose  you  can,  better  ad- 
vance some  particular  charity,  by  going  beyond  the 
means  thus  divinely  authorized,  this  will  afford  not  the 
elightest  justification  of  the  act.  For,  wiiile  it  casts  dis- 
trust, and  hence  dishonour,  upon  the  appointments  of 
God,  it  transcends  the  limits,  which  he  hath  set  to  his 
own  power.  God,  inanlfest  in  the  jiesh,^  in  whom  dwelt 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  hodily/\  wanted  not  the 
might,  at  his  advent  upon  earth,  to  root  out  every  error, 
close  every  avenue  to  misery,  destroy  every  work  of  the 
devil, J  and  make  every  sinner  happy  and  good;  but  He 
exerted  it  alone,  in  establishing  and  giving  effect  to  that 
system  of  means,  which  he  hath  enjoined  upon  us.  God 
the  Holy  Ghost,  commissioned  to  convince  the  world  of 
sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment,^  though,  by  a 
single  impulse  of  his  Almighty  energy.  He  might  disperse 
the  darkness  of  every  mind,  send  conviction  of  sin  into 
every  breast,  quicken  every  soul  to  newness  of  lifef  and 
fit  every  condemned  sinner  for  a  judgment  day,  still 
employs  not  that  energy,  except,  in  giving  efficacy  to  the 
^ means  of  grace'  deposited  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeem- 
er. Brethren  in  Christ,  how  deep  is  the  presumption  of 
mortal  man  \  a  presumption,  lamentably  common  in  cur 

*  1  Tim,  iii.  lo,  j  Uol.  ii.  9.  ?  iJolin,  iii.  8.  ^John,xn.  a. 


27 


day,  which  overleaps  every  barrier  to  attain  an  object — 
^  makes  the  end  jiistifiy  the  means  ^ — looks  to  jjvesent  ad- 
vantages without  estimating  future  and  e^e?*naZ  results — 
rashly  enters  upon  the  works  of  charity  without  recurring 
to  the  divine  principles  upon  whicli  alone,  these  works 
can  be  lawfully  prosecuted.     God  will  punish  that  pre- 
sumption.     He  will  blast  its  fruits,  and  scatter  them  to 
the  winds!  Already  has  he  lifted  up  the  chastising  hand. 
Widely  are  the  elements  of  destruction  seen  to  be  at  work 
in  the  unscriptural  schemes  of  doing  good.     The  axe  is 
even  now  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees.     Decay  has  en* 
tered  them — their  topmost  branches  are  withered — they 
will  soon  be  in  ruins  before  us.   Take  warning,  Rrethren, 
lest  you  be  entangled  in  their  fall.      Our  only  security  is 
in  close  adherence  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.    By  the 
light  of  the  Grospel  of  love,  then,  examine  well  the  jjrijici- 
ple  before  you  adopt  the  measure. 

Thus,  beloved  bretliren,  I  have  endeavored,  so  far 
as  God  hath  given  me  ability,  to  point  out  the  duties, whicli, 
to  preserve  the  Faith  of  the  Church,  seem  to  me  especial- 
ly called  for  by  the  present  state  of  Religion  in  our  coun- 
try. I  am  aware  that  other  considerations  might  have 
been  profitably  embraced.  There  is  hardly  a  point  of 
Christian  practice,  which  is  not  more  or  less  involved  in 
tliis  question.  The  sacraments,  ordinances  and  discipline 
of  the  Church,  arc  all  nearly  concerned  in  the  preserva- 
tion of  a  pure,  apostolick  Faith.  The  views  entertained 
of  them,  the  fidelity  with  which  they  are  urged,  and  the 
consequent  practice  under  those  views,  suggest  topics  of 
the  deepest  interest  to  this  discussion.  But  as  the  prin- 
ciple of  duty  is  one  in  all  these  matters,  and  as  sufficient- 
has  been  said  to  illustrate  that  principle,  and  supply  you 


28 


with  hints  for  its  universal  application^  Heave  the  subject 
with  yourselves  ;  entertaining  the  belief^  that  you  will  not 
be  found  wanting  in  the  duties  I  have  enforced.  But  in 
their  discharge,  let  me  exhort  you  to  be  governed  by  the 
spirit  of  that  Gospel  you  are  commissioned  to  preach  and 
defend. 

Brethren,  the  most  formidable  enemy  to  the  truth,  is 
the  of  the  human  heart.  We  are  not  exempt.  ^Sub- 

ject to  U7ce  passions  iv'ith  other  men/  we  are  liable  to  be 
swayed  by  tliis  passion  also.  And  it  is  one  upon  which 
the  grand  adversary  of  truth  chicfl}^  relies.  It  must  be 
diligently  resisted,  or  it  will  soon  lead  us  to  forget  whose 
ministers  we  are  ;  what  vows  of  submission  we  have 
made     and  ^  what  manner  of  spirit  Ave  are  of  f\  to  forget 

*  Since  printing  my  rcmrurks  on  the  Uth  page,  the  subjoined  striking  passage  has 
come  under  my  notice.  I  give  it  here,  whore  alkision  is  made  to  the  same  subject : 
'When  we  observe  how  much  there  is  of  impatient  submission  to  authority,  how 
much  desire  there  is  in  individuals  to  quit  their  own  sphere,  to  suggest  and  pursue 
their  own  phms  for  the  confirniation  or  advancement  of  the  Christian  cause,  to  become 
the  advocates  of  General  Christianity,  and  to  testify  an  indit!'erence  to  forms  of  be- 
lief, and  of  worship,  we  cannot  but  believe,  that  in  those  individuals,  there  must  be  a 
strange  ignorance  of  what  is  required  of  them  by  the  Church  to  which  they  belong. 
In  a  deep  feeling  of  the  evi!s  caused  by  such  proceedings,  we  cannot  bnt  earnestly 
beseech  those  who  arc  about  to  become  public  teachers  in  our  Church,  not  to  over- 
look this  essential  branch  of  a  cleiical  education,  but  to  study  deeply  her  constitution, 
and  what  is  the  real  situation  of  the  Minister  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  what  are 
his  duties,  before  they  undertake  them.  True,  indeed,  it  is,  that  the  Christian  spirit 
may  exist,  indcj)cndently  of  all  this.  True  it  is,  that  at  the  farthest  verge  of  the  earth, 
and  remote  from  every  form  of  every  Church,  the  spirit  of  Christian  liope,  love,  and 
joy,  may  glow  in  the  boi-;om  of  ihe  Christian.  But  ihat  neither  diminishes  the  neces- 
fiity  for  forms  of  Christianity  in  the  world,  nor  Ies.«ens  their  obligation  when  received. 
Their  necessity  and  their  expediency,  we  need  not,  and  we  will  not  consider  here ; 
but  this  much  cannot  be  denied,  that  he  who  has  become  the  minister  of  a  form, 
which  prefesses  to  be  the  a})Os.tolic;il,  has  both  set  to  the  solemn  record  of  his  belief, 
that  that  claim  can  be  justified,  and  hws  assumed  every  obligation  which  such  a  pro' 
fessioii  implies.  Before  b.e  does  so,  he  mn}^  if  he  pleases,  become  the  minister  of  an- 
other form,  or  the  minister  of  Christianity  under  no  form  ;  but  when  he  has  done  so, 
he  has  declared,  that  in  his  belief,  the  one  only  true  and  effectual  way  of  carrying  on 
his  master's  work  on  earth,  h  tl'at  way  on  uhich  he  has  entered;  and  that  that  form 
to  which. he  has  declared  his  adhiCrence,  is  the  form  approved  by  his  master  himself. 
He  is  therefore  berome  now  the  minister  of  a  Church,  and  rs  sucii,  must  pursue  the 
road  which  that  Church  dictates.  He  must  no  longer  think  his  own  thonghrs,  or  form 
his  own  plans;  but  he  must  teach  what  the  Church  comm.ands,  in  the  sphere  which 
Rhe  assigns.  He  may  think  that  at  some  time,  something  is  -left  in  that  Church  un- 
done, which  should  be  done,  something  done,  which  should  be  Ml  undone— but  ha 


2t 


that,  'in  meekness,  we  are  to  instruct  those  that  oppose 
themselves  are  '  to  overcome  evil  with  good;'*I[  and  '  to 
forbear  one  another  in  love — endeavouring  to  keep  the  u- 
nity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 

But  to  watch  effectually  against  the  pernicious  influ- 
ence of  this  passion,  you  must  daily  study  to  be  subject 
to  Christ.  Let  his  word  be  the  man  of  your  counsel — his 
grace  the  stay  of  your  hearts — his  spirit  the  spring  and 
regulator  of  your  actions.  '  Shun  not,  boldly  and  unre- 
servedly to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,'||  but  do  it, 
because  it  is  '  the  counsel  of  God.'  Do  it  not  as  the  ad- 
vocate of  a  i)arty,  but  as  the  accredited  ambassador  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace.  Do  it,  under  an  abiding  sense  of 
your  own  liability  to  error — without  sacrificing  tliat  char- 
ity which  suffer eth  long  and  is  kind — which  rejoiceth  not 
in  iniquity^  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth.**  Do  it  not  to  be- 
come a  successful  antagonist ,  but  a  successful  minister^ 
not  to  triumph  over  an  adversary,  but  to  subdue,  by  the 
help  of  God,  the  carnal  heart  at  enmity  with  Him,-\\ 
Preach  and  defend,  then,  Dear  Brethren,  'the  Gospel 
in  the  Church'fJ  because  it  is  the  Gospel  of  (j^on^^m  (he 
Church  of  Gob. Contend  earnestly  for  the  ^  Faith  of 

will  know  also,  that  it  belongs  not  to  him  to  remedy  the  error  or  supply  the  deficiency. 
He  will  know,  that  God,  under  whose  especial  guidance  he  believes  the  Church  to  be, 
may  indeed  permit  evil ;  but  that  his  good  spirit  will  rectify  what  is  wrong,  and  sup- 
ply what  is  wanting,  m  the  appointed  ivay,  and  at  the  due  season.  His  one  aim  will 
therefore  bo  to  understand  fully  what  the  spirit  of  the  Church  is — his  one  aim,  to  fulfil  it; 
to  unite  with,  not  to  separate  from  his  brethren;  to  yield  a  ready  and  cheerful  obedience 
to  his  superiors,  not  to  endeavor  to  escape  from  it.' — Jloses^  Discourses. 

f  Luke,  ix.  55.  +  2  Tim.  ii.  25.  1  Rom.  xii.  21.         §  Eph.  iv.  3; 

I  Acts,  XX.  27.  **  1  Cor.  xii.  4-6.  ff  Rom.  vii.  7. 

See  an  admirable  Sermon  with  this  title,  by  the  Rev.  George  Washington  Doane, 
now  the  excellent  Bishop  of  New  Jersey. 

See  2  John — '  Whosoever  transgresseth,  and  abidefh  not  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  hath  not  God  :  h^that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  both  the  father 
and  the  son.'    Also,  Tit.  iii.  15 — 'Greet  them  that  love  us  in  the  Faith.' 

§^  1  Tim.  iii.  15—'  Know  how  thou  oughtest  to  behave  in  the  house  of  God,  Wi/cA 
ie  (he  Church  of  God^  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth. 


so 


tlie  Cliurch,^  because  it  id  the  Faith  which  He  has  com- 
mitted to  her,  for  the  salvation  of  condemned  and  perish- 
ing sinners.*  Hold  fast  that  Faith,  at  every  sacrifice  and 
every  hazard,  because  by  its  life-giving  power,  you  are  to 
save  yourselves,  as  well  as  those  who  hear  you :  because 
by  losing  it,  you  lose  ^  the  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
God  the  righteous  Judge  will  give  in  that  day' — awful, 
trying  day  to  ministers  and  people! — to  those  and  those 
onlyy  who  are  faithful  unto  death!' — 

•  Jnde  9 — 'Faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  tho  Saints,'  or  Church. — 2 Tim. h 
J  3 — *Hold  fast  the  form  of  sound  words.' — ii.  2 — ♦  The  same  commit  thou  to  faithful 
iDtn,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  othcr»  also.* 


1^ 


ir  A': 


